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Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi among Pakistan players out of Sri Lanka tour 2026

Sakshi Sharma

Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi (Source: AFP)Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi (Source: AFP)

Cricket Australia (CA) has likely confirmed that Pakistan players taking part in the Big Bash League (BBL 2025-26) will be allowed to play the full tournament, even though Pakistan has a T20I series scheduled in Sri Lanka in January. 

CA chief executive Todd Greenberg said the assurance has been given that players signed by BBL franchises will not be withdrawn for international duty during the league.

Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi out of Sri Lanka tour 2026

Pakistan will begin their preparations for the 2026 T20 World Cup with a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka in January next year. The matches will be played on January 7,  9, and 11 in Dambulla. However, some Pakistan players, including Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi, are likely to miss this series as they continue playing in the BBL in Australia.

There were earlier concerns that several top Pakistan players might leave the BBL to join their  team for a short T20I series in Sri Lanka. However, Greenberg said he was confident the players would remain in Australia for the entire BBL season.

Notably, several Pakistan players, who are a regular part of the T20I squad are currently plying their trade in the BBL. The roster is led by Babar Azam who is playing for Sydney Sixers in the tournament. Pacers Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali are a part of Brisbane Heat, Melbourne Stars, and Adelaide Strikers respectively.

Shadab Khan, who was set to make a comeback in the Pakistan national T20 squad, has also been playing for Sydney Thunder in BBL 2025-26 whereas, Mohammad Rizwan, who was discarded from the T20I squad has been playing for Melbourne Renegades.

CA assures full availability of Pakistan stars in BBL

Speaking to reporters at the Adelaide Oval during the third Ashes Test, Greenberg said CA had been clearly told that BBL-contracted Pakistan players would complete the competition.

"We've been told that if they've been signed by the BBL, they'll play [the whole BBL]," Greenberg said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Greenberg also confirmed that Australia’s T20I tour of Pakistan ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup will go ahead as planned. While the dates are yet to be announced, CA and the Australian Cricketers’ Association have already sent representatives to Pakistan to conduct a pre-tour security assessment.

"We've just sent a couple of people to Pakistan to do a pre-tour for the T20I games in February," he said. "We're going to have some conversations with the players after the [Ashes] series and explain to them how that will work with security. But I went there with them in 2022 and it was an amazing experience."

The ODI leg of Australia’s tour of Pakistan 2026 will be moved to June. This change has been made to avoid clashes with the PSL and the IPL. The revised schedule will also align with Australia’s limited-overs tour of Bangladesh in the same month.